Growing pains: What do we know about etiology? A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Growing pains is the most common cause of musculoskeletal pain in early childhood and was first described in 1823 by French physician Marcel Duchamp. Although it has been researched extensively, the etiology is still unknown. Several theories have been proposed throughout the years.

Aim: Analyze the available scientific literature to provide an update on the latest evidence on the etiology.

Methods: According to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, the scientific literature on the etiology of growing pains was systematically reviewed using the following inclusion criteria: studies of any level of evidence reporting clinical or preclinical results and dealing with the etiology of growing pains. The medical electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science were searched by two independent authors on October 20, 2018. The search string used was "(growing pains OR benign nocturnal limb pains OR musculoskeletal pains) AND (etiology OR pathogenesis) AND (pediatrics)".

Results: A total of 32 articles were included. The etiology of growing pains still remains poorly understood. Many theories have been proposed, but none of them are decisive. A lower pain threshold has been found among patients suffering from growing pains in comparison to healthy controls. Furthermore, evidence suggests an association between growing pains and reduced bone strength in young patients, although this finding still remains controversial. Changes in the vascular perfusion pattern have also been studied. However, the etiology of growing pains does not seem related to a vascular component. The anatomical/mechanical theory has not been supported, but the role of vitamin D deficiency has been investigated many times. Strong recent evidence indicates a genetic susceptibility in the pathogenesis of growing pains. Furthermore, psychological factors also seem to play a strong role in the onset.

Conclusion: The scientific literature about the etiology of growing pains presents heterogeneity and lack of consensus; more studies are needed to understand the genesis of benign musculoskeletal pain syndrome of childhood.

Keywords: Benign nocturnal limb pains of childhood; Etiology; Growing pains; Pathogenesis; Recurrent limb pains of childhood.

Figure 1

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis flowchart of the systematic literature review.